A Joke Too Far
by Timelessdemon
Summary: After finding out about Arnold's parents, Helga gets pulled into pulling the ultimate prank on Arnold, with disastorous consequences. Can she apologise to him or is already too late to save his carefree, optimistic view on life?


**Disclaimer: As mentioned in another Hey Arnold fic, if I owned the rights to Hey Arnold it wouldn't of stopped airing... Though I guess if it had gone on for that long, I might of run out of story ideas for it...**

**Anyways enjoy, I've finally got spell check so hopefully there won't be any spelling mistakes, as always, please read review!**

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It was your average after-school Friday afternoon at PS118, school had just finished, some kids were already taking the bus home, but some had stayed behind to use the school grounds to play basketball -There were few places to play ball games in the streets, and the school didn't generally mind them playing late on week days, as long as they were out before 7:30. Gerald split the remaining kids up into opposing teams, Helga (who was put in a team with Brainy) complained loudly while Gerald ignored her and went to ask Arnold to be in his team... But Arnold was already walking away from the game.

Gerald called after him, "Hey bud, aren't you gonna stay around and shoot a few?". Arnold paused and turned around to face him, his face sullen, "No thanks, Gerald, there's... There's somewhere I gotta be". Gerald shrugged, "Alright Arnold man, catch you later I guess", Gerald carried on, placing the kids into different teams, while Arnold's sullen form slunk slowly out of shot.

Helga, who had been intently watching the situation, decided to walk after him, "Hey, hey Helga? Yo!". Knocked out of her daze, Helga turned around to face a confused looking Gerald, "Where are you going?", he asked. Like a deer in headlights, she froze before answering, "Err... I just... Just remembered, I have to go to my Dad's beeper company to... Pick up some supplies", she smiled awkwardly.

Gerald gave her a confused look, "...But isn't your Dad's company the other way?". Helga froze again, "Well... Well I like taking scenic routes... It's called exercise, hair boy! Sheesh!", she quickly stormed off before he was able to ask any more questions.

Gerald shook his head in an irritated way before going back to putting the kids into teams.

Helga walked away slowly from Gerald and the rest of the kids, gaining speed when she finally decided she was far enough away for the basketball playing kids not to see her. Running across the straight concrete pavement, she quickly rounded the same corner Arnold had rounded less than a minute ago, anxious not to lose him. She stopped as she turned the corner and glanced around, there were so many people -Damn- He'd given her the slip- Wait! There he was, she saw his blonde hair and blue hat as he rounded the corner of another building across the road from her.

Breathing in, she ran across the road, barely avoiding the oncoming traffic, as she purely focused on getting to him before he disappeared again. Several screeching tyres and honking horns later, and Helga was across the road, shooting around the corner of the other building and hot on the heels of her beloved football head.

Finally rounding the corner, she almost screamed in frustration as she looked at the crowded street in front of her. He was gone- again! How could keep on losing him like... Wait! There he was, a mere metre or so away from her, she quickly hid behind the lamp post closest to her and glanced around it. He seemed to be reading a map of some sort, Helga sure hoped he had a spare, she could remember ever having been to this part of town before and she was beginning to feel a little lost.

Even so, no point doing things in half measures! She saw him put the map away in his left pocket and carry on walking through the crowded streets of Hilwood. She followed after him, running from lamp post to lamp post, making sure she didn't lose him in the sea of pedestrians.

After 5 minutes of running from lamp post to lamp post, Helga was beginning find it increasingly difficult to keep up Arnold while also trying to prevent him from knowing she was following him at the same time. Criminey! Why couldn't he just amble along home like he usually did?! ...Rather than haphazardly half-running towards god knows where, forcing Helga to do more exercise than she usually did in a whole week of P.E. lessons.

Panting as she took a pit stop next to her nth lamp post, she almost lost track of Arnold as he took a sudden detour across a busy road. "This... Can't be... Worth it", Helga panted to herself before breathing in once more and charging across the traffic laden road after him. Several honked horns and abusive shouts later, and Helga was across the other side of the road, she stood, bent over and catching her breath for half a minute, before regaining her composure and looking around for Arnold again.

A smile broke across her face as she saw him turn and go through a pair of black metal gates, she knew where she was now, she was next to the old Hilwood graveyard, and the best thing about that was, there was only one gate, meaning only one way in one way out- No more running for her! Giving out a wheezed laugh, Helga half walked half stumbled after Arnold. She cautiously glanced into the graveyard and saw Arnold in distance, he'd 'finally' stopped walking and had sat next to a small gravestone.

Glancing up at the large sign above the metal gates (which read 'Hilwood Graveyard'), Helga vaguely wondered who Arnold could possibly be visiting, he didn't have anyone else except him granparents, and as far she knew, they were both in excellent health. His back turned to her, Helga found no trouble in sneaking after him and hiding behind a tall oak tree which was planted a couple of meters away from him (it was the closest cover she could find), it was close enough for Helga to see what was going on, but too far for her to hear anything that he might say.

For a while, though, he didn't say or do anything, he just quietly sat next to the small gravestone which Helga was to far away to read. Helga shivered, wrapping her arms around herself, it was slightly cold today and Helga was glad she'd warn her new pink jacket that Olga had brought back for her from one of her many trips, Helga had pretended not to appreciate the gift, but if she was honest, it 'was' quite a nice jacket. Glancing over, she saw that Arnold, who hadn't worn a coat that day, seemed to be shivering a bit. She felt bad for him and wondered who was so special that he'd go clear across Hilwood just to spend time with the person's grave.

Continuing to watch him from behind her tree, Helga began to feel an immense amount of pity for him, just sitting there, emotionlessly staring at the small grave. As an hour dragged on however, pity slowly turned into irritation. Just what was so important that he would stay here for so long anyway?!

Sighing, Helga was about ready to give up and leave when she finally saw Arnold move slightly, and take an A4 piece of paper from his pocket. She watched intently as he held the paper in one hand and used his other arm to half hug the gravestone as he read from the paper. Being so far away, Helga was incapable of hearing it, irritated but transfixed, she waited patiently, watching him go through the entire letter and just wishing that she was close enough to lip read. Finally he seemed to get to the end of it, he stopped and took an envelope from his school rucksack, folded up the letter and placed it in the envelope, licking the top before shutting it.

Lastly, he took a nearby rock from the ground, he laid the envelope next to the grave and placed the rock on top of it. Looking around, Arnold gave the grave stone a final tight hug, whispering something before finally getting up and moodily walking away.

Half confused, half saddened by her football head's strange behaviour, Helga waited until she saw Arnold's depressed form, leave the near deserted graveyard, before rushing over to take a look at the said grave herself.

It was a simple small grey stone gravestone that simply read, 'For Stella and Miles Shortman who disappeared on October 5th 1992, in our hearts you will always be remembered'. Even more confused, Helga glanced after the direction in which Arnold had left, realising there'd be no point in trying to follow him, she sat down in exactly the same spot of grass where Arnold had been sitting, it was still warm, she took comfort in that. Glancing around, she stared at his envelope, held against the ground by the small greyish brown rock Arnold had placed. There was no one else around, she held out her arm to snatch the letter and then withdrew it quickly, it didn't seem quite right to steal a potentially dead person's mail... But even so.

Helga rubbed her left arm with her right hand, talking uncomfortably to the small gravestone, "Hey, err... Hi, Mr and Mrs? Shortman, I was wondering... You wouldn't mind if I looked at that letter would you, I mean... It's not like you're gonna be reading it anytime soon so... Alright! Give me a sign if you don't me to open that old letter". She waited for around 10 seconds or less before grinning, "Okay, you're the boss!", she shrugged. Helga took the envelope from under the rock and gently pried it open, so it could be easily reclosed once more, she unfolded the letter inside the envelope and read the contents, her eyes memorising every perfect word that her oh so perfect Arnold had scrawled across the paper.

It read:_ 'Dear Mom and Dad, how are you? I'm okay, Granma and Granpa take great care of me and school's great, Granpa actually passed elementary school a few months ago and I went on a camping trip with some of my friends from school. I really like it here, but I always think of you both and wonder how you're getting on in San Lorenzo. Granpa told me the story, he said there isn't much chance of me ever meeting you, that maybe your plane crashed and neither of you survived. But I won't let myself think that, I know you two are both alive and well, and when the time is right, I know you'll come and take me, Granma and Granpa to San Lorenzo and we'll go on adventures together. I know you haven't seen me since I was two, so I figured I'd enclose a more recent photo. From your loving son, Arnold X'._

Helga took out the photo and smiled at it, doing one of her signature (in love) sighs as she looked lovingly at the photo, it was just a photo of him in his usual wear, standing and smiling in front of his home, but even so...

Smiling, Helga suddenly laid a kiss on his 'reduce-sized' football head, cradling the picture to herself and sighing one more time, before suddenly stopping to take a look around to see if she being watched- She wasn't, it was getting late though...

Helga stood up, still holding the letter and photo, she turned to look at the gravestone, "Err... Look, you wouldn't mind if I took this, I mean, it's not like you can read it so...? The gravestone didn't answer, despite a small part of Helga being almost convinced that it would, "Thanks", she replied uncomfortably to the non-existent response, "and err, hope you get found soon, okay?".

She put the photo and letter back into the envelope and sighed, basically hugging the envelope to her as she slowly walked back home, happy thoughts trailing after her.

**Late Sunday evening at the Pataki household:**

Helga lay on her front on her bed, doing the so-called 'girly-kick' as she wrote in her 100th pink poem journal, this time it wasn't a poem though...

That letter 'her' Arnold had written to his parents had inspired her, something about it... The emotions had really captured her and now she wanted to emulate it, bring out that raw emotion, fantasise just what it would be like if Arnold's parent's 'did' write back to him.

"Helga, time to go to bed honey!", Helga's mom suddenly called up from downstairs. Helga sighed, "Yes Miriam!", she closed her poem book and put it on her bedside table.

**The next day at school in Mr Simmon's class:**

Helga sat at her classroom desk, sighing as she lovingly stared at the back of her her football head's gloriously misshapen cranium. She slowly ripped a small piece of paper from her English book, rolling it into a small round ball and fired it at the back of her intended's oblong shaped head.

"Oh!", exclaimed Arnold, as another spitwad hit him for what seemed like the millionth time, he turned around and glared at her, "Quit it!". She smirked, shrugging nonchalantly and looking away, Arnold turned back to watch Mr Simmons once more, Helga smirked to herself, ripping another piece of paper- "Helga! Go to the Principal's office!".

Helga jumped, looking up to see an annoyed Mr Simmons standing over her table. She smiled innocently, "What? But I wasn't-". Mr Simmons frowned, "I saw you Helga, just go to the Principal's office and don't come back until the end of the lesson!". Helga sighed dramatically, muttering to herself about the 'unfairness of it all', and that 'she hadn't even done anything', as she stood up and left class to go to the principal's office.

**Outside of Mr Simmon's classroom:**

Not even bothering to go to the Principal's office, Helga made a detour into the girl's toilet and hung about there until she finally heard the recess bell ring. She waited for another few minutes though, to hopefully give Mr Simmons enough time to leave the classroom, so he couldn't ask her if she'd actually been to the Principal's office. Smiling mischievously to herself in the mirror, Helga happily walked out of the girl's toilets and wondered up to the presumably deserted classroom, to get her bag.

She opened the door and realised it was not quite as deserted as she'd previously thought, Sid, Stinky and Harold were all sitting on and around her desk, laughing reading something- Her pink poem book!

Turning bright red (and momentarily hating herself for bringing it with her in the first place), Helga glared and shouted, "Hey!", they turned to face her and started to laugh even more so.

Anger overcoming embarrassment, Helga frog marched up to them and snatched her book back from Sid's unpresuming hands, "Just what do you think you're doing!". Sid snickered, "Reading your journal! ...It hilarious! Ha ha ha!". Harold laughed, "Wow Helga, I didn't realise you thought about Arnold so much, ooooh! Kissy, kissy! Ha ha!".

Helga glared, her face turning near bright scarlet, as suddenly realisation hit her. That book only contained what she'd written yesterday, and none of that had anything to do with her saying that she loved Arnold, a plan unfolded in her mind.

Pretending to be unperturbed by the laughter, she snickered, "Yeah in your dreams, wide boy!".

Harold acted hurt, "Hey, I have a glandular problem!". Helga snorted and continued, "I've haven't been writing because I 'like' Arnold ...I've been writing this because I've been practicing!". Stinky finally stopped laughing and looked down at her (he's taller than her), "Practicing for what?".

Helga faltered before regaining herself, "For... for the greatest April Fool's joke ever!". All three boys had finally stopped laughing and Sid gave her a confused look, "...But it's not April!".

Helga planted her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes, "I know that doufis! ...But you can't truly execute a great joke like this, on a day as obvious as April Fools!". Sid grinned, "...So what's the plan?". Helga's eyes opened wide, she hadn't thought they'd ask that, "Plan?", she stammered.

"Yeah", exclaimed Harold, "We want in!". "Oh! You want in on the... the plan!", Helga grinned mysteriously at the three boys before muttering to herself, "...Heh! The plan...".

**5:00pm that afternoon, outside Arnold's place:**

"Is it there?", Sid called up to Helga, he was stood on the ground at the side of Arnold's home, while Harold stood close to the end of the alleyway, looking out for Arnold. Helga, was currently climbing precariously back down Arnold's black metal fire ladder, having just sneaked back out of Arnold's room through one of his many windows. She sneered, as she climbed, "Of course it's there you moron! ...Just who'd you think you're talking to?!".

Harold suddenly ran back over to Sid and interrupted them both, "Quick, here he comes!". Helga jumped the last few rungs of the ladder to the ground, she gave out a quiet 'oof!'as she hit the ground, before running over to them, she quickly shouted, "Split up and remember, we all meet at the Applegate at 3:00pm tomorrow!". With that, Helga and Sid quickly ran in opposite directions, leaving Harold to run back and forth in a confused panic, unsure of which way to run.

**A minute or less ago:**

"Thanks for helping me Arnold", Stinky said as he walked back to through the streets with Arnold (it had been Stinky's job to stall Arnold on his way home). Arnold shrugged, "That's okay Stinky, I couldn't leave you to carry all these library books home by yourself...". Arnold glanced at one of the books in the pile he was carrying, "Why do you need a book in algebra though? We won't be studying that until 'at least' 5th grade!".

Stinky faltered, "Oh? Err... Oof!", Helga walked into him, scattering the books, "Hey, watch where you're going Stinky", Helga glared, winking as she yelled.

Stinky grinned to himself, knowing his stalling was over, "Oh, sorry Helga!", he called back, picking up his books and turning to walk in the opposite direction from which he and Arnold had previously been going.

Arnold stopped and looked at Stinky, "Hey, Stinky, where are you going?", he called after Stinky. "Home", Stinky simply replied. Arnold gave a confused look, "...But I thought it was this way?". "Nope", Stinky grinned, shrugging at Arnold, "I guess I just stalled yer cuz I enjoyed talking to yer so much... My house is just over there, though", Stinky gestured to a red brick building just a little ahead of them. Arnold sighed, and turned to follow Stinky's retreating form.

**Arnold finally back in his own home:**

Arnold sighed, just relieved to be home, he opened the door to his bedroom and walked in, going over to his bed to have a lie down... And that was when he saw it.

It was a small piece of paper, folded over in the middle and placed innocently on the centre of his bed, he glanced around himself (as if expecting to see the letter deliverer still in the room), before picking up the letter, sitting down on the edge of his bed and unfolding it.

It read:

_Dear Arnold, thank you so much for your picture, there hasn't been a moment where haven't thought about you or wanted to contact you. We never actually left the city, we've had to stay in hiding, the government are after us. But, we'd like to meet you alone, just for an hour, just to see you once more. Please don't get the police or your Granparents involved, our situation is already dicey at best. We'll be at the abandoned Applegate restaurant at 4:30 Sunday, if you want to meet up... But if you don't, we'll understand, from your ever loving parents, Miles and Stella xx._

Shocked, Arnold read and re-read the letter, he couldn't believe it, it couldn't really be 'from his' parents... Could it?

**Sunday, nearing the Applegate, 4:15pm:**

Gerald half-ran along the pavement, trying hard to keep up with Arnold, who was currently moving at an alarming rate, closer and closer towards the abandoned Applegate building.

"Arnold!", Gerald finally called out, "Jeez man, slow down! I can barely keep up". Arnold turned to see that Gerald had stopped running, he slowed down and waited for him, "I'm sorry Gerald, I just really want to get there on time".

Gerald sighed and began to walk at a more even pace with Arnold at his side, "I know bud but, are you sure you read it right? I mean, how do you even know that letter was 'really' from 'your' parents?".

Arnold shrugged uncomfortably, "I dunno Gerald, but I went back to their headstone, the letter I left wasn't there". Gerald shrugged back, "So some fool stole it, that don't prove nothing".

"I know Gerald", Arnold nodded, "But, sometimes you just gotta believe that something good is going to happen". Gerald didn't answer him as they rounded the corner and got to the abandoned Applegate building. Arnold turned to face Gerald, "Look, you wait outside, if something bad happens you go run for help, alright?".

Gerald wasn't sure about letting his friend walk through the dark, abandoned building alone, but knew it was best to have someone outside to run for help, he gazed up at Arnold's half-excited face, "I sure hope you know what you're doing Arnold!".

Arnold nodded, "Me too Gerald, and thanks", with that, Arnold walked cautiously into the abandoned building. Gerald stared after him, before shaking his head in irritated disbelief, leaning against the building and folding his arms, waiting for a scream which he hoped would never come...

**Inside the building:**

Arnold took tentative steps around the abandoned building, "Mom, Dad?", he called as he carried on through the dark building (being lit up only by small rays of sunlight which filtered through the ground floor windows). Finally, Arnold stopped, he could see two figures in a distant room ahead of him, their silhouettes showed them to be dressed in hats and long coats, facing away from him.

His heart leapt and he ran towards them, "...M-Mom? D-Dad?". He got over to the two figures who still had their backs to him, "Mom? Dad?". He tugged on a sleeve of one of the coats. The coat suddenly fell to the floor, appearing to have been merely an old empty hat and long coat, stuffed with nothing more than some rotten pillows. With nothing to lean against, the second empty coat also fell to the floor.

Arnold stared confusedly at the strewn mass of coats, hats and pillows, before being stunned by the room's lights suddenly all being turned on.

His eyes screwed up at the sudden offending glare, and he had to shield himself with his arms at first, before finally peering through the harsh light. Laughter was heard, as Sid, Harold and Stinky appeared suddenly from their hiding place (behind some of the many piled up boxes in the back of the room), Helga was stood in front of them, "Ha, hah, what a maroon!", she laughed, pointing at Arnold's suprised and confused face, "Oh Mommy, oh Daddy... Oh 'please'!".

Arnold looked around himself, still confused, "Wha-?".

Helga high fived the three boys and smirked, "Boy, Arnold, I mean I have played some pranks in my day but... Arnold?". She stopped smirking and stared at Arnold, noticing for the first time, the frozen, almost horrified expression of realisation on his face, "Err... Arnold?" she asked in a quieter voice.

"Y-you made it up...", Arnold managed to mumble, his voice barely audible, "...None of it... None of it was real?". Helga began to look uncomfortable, "Well... Yeah, but I mean it was just a joke football head, there's no reason to get all-". She stopped, Arnold's face had gone red and his eyes were tearing up, he started to shake.

Helga stopped and stared, unsure of what to do, it occurred to her that she'd never actually seen him cry before... And it looked like she never would- He ran.

Worried for him, she shouted after him as he ran out of the room, "Hey, hey football head, come back! It was just a joke, there's no need to take things so-".

But Arnold kept running, he ran away from the room, out of the building, past Gerald and carried on going.

Leaning against the bricks of the old building, Gerald jumped as he saw a blonde haired blur speed away from the building, realising it was his best friend, Gerald shouted after him, "Hey Arnold, yo man, hold up! What's eating yer?!". Arnold didn't even slow down to acknowledge Gerald, he just kept running.

Confused, Gerald took a tentative look inside, worried about just what was in there, until he heard the sound of kids arguing.

**Back inside one of the Applegate's rooms:**

"It was your dumb idea Helga!", Harold yelled, Helga glared back, "You led me on fat boy!". Stinky looked worried as he glanced to Helga, "Hey, you said he wouldn't get hurt". Helga rolled her eyes as she turned on Stinky, "Yeah, well I didn't think he would but-".

"Just what's going on here?!", everyone stopped arguing and turned to see Gerald, who was standing at the doorway of the room, looking confused. No one seemed to want to give an answer, but Gerald glanced around the room at the fallen coats and pillows and found his answer, "Whoa, wait, are you telling me this was all a practical joke? ...Well that's mighty low... Even for you Helga!".

Helga glanced up from ashamedly staring at the floor, "And just what makes you think it was 'my' idea? Hair boy!". Gerald rolled his eyes, "Who else would come up with something this underhandedly complex?!". Helga opened her mouth to argue her point, but Stinky interrupted her, followed by the other two boys, "It was her idea, she found Arnold's letter and said she'd thought of a prank and...".

Gerald folded his arms and leaned against the door frame, shaking his head, "Don't you have any idea what something like this could do to him?!". Staring back down at the floor, Helga looked almost ashamed before quickly shrugging it off and flamboyantly answering, "Eh, don't sweat it, hair boy! His chirpy optimism will have him springing back in no time, you'll all see". She smirked, looking around at the four boys, "By Monday tomorrow, he'll of forgotten all about this!".

**Monday in Mr Simmons class:**

Helga glanced around herself, she didn't get it, class had started 5 minutes ago, just where was Arnold? He never missed school, this just wasn't like him.

Suddenly the door opened and a rain drenched Arnold walked in, "Sorry I'm late Mr Simmons", he murmured. "Oh, er... That's quite alright Arnold", Mr Simmons replied, taking in Arnold's drenched and depressive look, and deciding not to draw any further attention to him, "Just take your seat".

Arnold sat down and felt something hit his left shoulder, he turned to look back at Helga, she smiled uncomfortably and gave a small wave, he just stared emotionlessly at her, blinked and looked back at Mr Simmons, Helga didn't bother to blow any spitwads at him for the rest of the morning lessons.

**Lunchtime break, the cafeteria:**

Gerald sighed, as he watched Arnold push his food around his plate, head leaning depressively against his free hand. Gerald had been trying to get his best friend to talk since yesterday evening (he'd phoned Arnold, but Arnold had told his answering Granparents that he didn't want to talk). "Arnold, man", Gerald tried again, "You just can't let this stuff get to you". "Okay", Arnold murmured, not even bothering to raise his head.

Fed up of his best friend's lack of response, Gerald got up from his table and stormed over to Helga's table where she sat laughing with Phoebe.

He stormed over and stood behind Phoebe, so that he was facing Helga. "Oy! Move it Geraldo!", Helga sneered, "You're blocking my view!".

"Your view!" Gerald exclaimed, "Look at Arnold, he hasn't even 'looked up' all day". Helga shrugged, "So what? He's always 'looking up'. The kid needs a bit of a look down once in a while if you ask me". Gerald shook his head in disbelief, "A look down? ...He's been speaking to me in one worded sentences all day!". Helga shrugged apathetically, "So, what do you want me to do about it?".

Gerald sighed, "Well, I don't know... But you gotta do something, before he gets 'really' depressed... This 'is' all 'your' fault Helga!". She glanced to Phoebe, who nodded in agreement with Gerald, Helga sighed "Alright then, 'I'll' fix it!". She moodily got up from the table and walked over in Arnold's direction.

Arnold continued to stare ahead, depressively staring at the grimy white-ish wall of the cafeteria, he felt like he'd been chewing the same piece of meat for near almost 10 minutes now but couldn't be sure. Arnold swallowed the over chewed meat, sighed once more and continued to stare at the wall, he'd been stupid to fall for it, his parents were dead, and letting that little ray of hope in had been moronic at best...

"Hey Arnold!", Helga called, as walked over to his table. Arnold glared slightly at her, "Go away Helga!", he muttered, turning his attention back down to his food (which now looked like mush, thanks to the number of times he'd been stirring it), "I'm not in the mood".

Ignoring this, Helga took the chair opposite him and stared down at the table, "Look, I'm sorry about that prank, it was... It wasn't nice".

Arnold didn't look up, "Yeah...", he answered.

Helga quickly grinned, "So... You forgive me?". "Sure...", Arnold once again muttered. Helga smiled even wider, moving to get up from her seat, "Well that's great cuz...". She stopped as she saw his terribly sad face, staring darkly at his plate of mush. Feeling even worse for what she'd done, she sat properly back down, moving her arms across the table, closer to him and lay her head against the table so she could look him in the eyes, "Arnold? I really 'am' sorry... I just didn't know-".

"Didn't know what?", Arnold suddenly bit out, raising his angered head to face her, "You didn't know that I think and imagine about my parents all the time, that I hold on to some ropey bit of hope that one day, one day they'll actually come back for me? Are you sorry about that, HUH?!". Helga just sat there, shocked that Arnold had actually yelled at her.

Arnold sighed and looked back at his plate, "I'm sorry Helga... Just, forget it, it doesn't matter". Helga sighed and tilted her head downwards again, to try and catch his gaze, "Arnold, I really am sorry I played that joke on you... But at least you've got hope, you've got hope and aspirations... I mean look at me, 'I've got parents', one's loud and obnoxious and the other's constantly drunk on 'smoothies', and neither ever listen to me. What I wouldn't give to have, parents, granparents, even careers as cool as yours... So don't make your life out to be so miserable just cuz you don't have parents, you can have mine for all I care!".

Muttering annoyedly to herself (upset that she couldn't cheer Arnold up), Helga got up and went to walk away, Arnold slowly raised his head and called after her, "Helga?". She swung back around to angrily face him, "Yeah?". Arnold smiled despite himself, "Thanks".

A smile broke out across Helga's face, she sighed and walked back over to him, "No sweat football- I mean, Arnold...". They smiled nicely at each other for a few seconds, before reality hit and Helga snapped herself out of it. She suddenly grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him up to his feet as she yelled, "Now come on! I wanna play baseball, and we've gotta find at least eight other players before the bell rings!".

Arnold smiled to himself as he followed after Helga, sure things weren't perfect living in New York ...But he had friends... And if there was anything that his optimistic lifestyle had taught him about happiness, it was that happiness wasn't about having the perfect life, it was about having what you have and appreciating it.

* * *

**Well, hope you enjoyed the story, if you liked it please review and if you hated it... Eh, review anyways, lol.**

**Sayonara!**


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